Aqueous leaf extract of Achyranthes aspera was investigated for inhibitory activity against Bitis arietans venom protease and phospholipase A₂ activity. The elemental analysis and phytochemical screening of the plant extract was carried out. The activities of protease and phospholipase A₂ (V_o) of the crude Bitis arietans venom were determined and the data obtained was used to estimate K_M, V_max and K_cat. Inhibition studies were carried out using the same procedure except that different concentrations of the extracts (5%, 10%, 15% for protease assay and 0.5%, 0.75%, 10%, 1.25% and 1.5% for phospholipase A₂ assay) were added to the reaction mixture. The result showed that the Bitis arietans venom protease had a V_max of 0.062 + 0.013 µmol/min,K_M of 0.496 + 0.095mg/ml and a K_cat of 0.125+ 0.001min^-1. The result also indicates that the Bitis arietans phospholipase A₂ had a V_max of 3.27 + 0.030min^-1, K_M of 8.358 + 0.050 mg/ml and K_cat of 0.391+ 0.002min^-1. The aqueous leaf extract produced significant (P<0.05) decrease in the V_max, K_M and K_cat of the Bitis arietans venom phospholipase A₂ in a dose dependent manner and a statistically significant (P<0.05) increase in the V_max, K_M and K_cat of Bitis arietansprotease in a dose dependent manner. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, steroids, saponins and terpenoids in the extract while the elemental analysis revealed the presence of Zn, Cr, Ni, Cd, Mn, Fe and Na. The result suggests that aqueous leaf extract of Achyranthes aspera inhibited the Bitis arietans venom phospholipase A₂ in an uncompetitive manner while the protease activity was stimulated by the extracts. It was observed that the use of the leaf of Achyranthes aspera may be important in the treatment of snake bites.

Concentrations of antibiotics below the minimum inhibitory concentration encourages the overgrowth of organisms and the reason they survive is because they are resistant to the drugs prescribed and so able to proliferate quickly, assisted by the sudden access to nutrients and space.This palpable reality is a potential threat to the future of health care delivery and forms a basic consideration in the present study. The influence of sub inhibitory doses of Flucloxacillin or Clindamycin and plasma on Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolate was investigated using standard methods. The immune system is represented with fresh, preserved human plasma freeonly of erythrocytes. The study showed that human plasma can slow growth of invading organisms, even though this will have to be considered alongside the number of the invading organism and time it takes for antibodies to be produced. The exposure of the test organism to sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations of flucloxacillin and clindamycin showed clear resistance against the two test antimicrobial agents but significantly against the narrow spectrum flucloxacillin.This further illustrates effect ofadministering sub-therapeutic concentrations of antibiotics and the consequences ofthe invading organism acquiring resistance.Itis hoped that this research will lead to a re-examination of how antibiotics areadministered for management of patients suffering from recurrent S. aureus related diseases.

The paper examined managing retraining programmes for teacher productivity in public secondary schools in Bayelsa State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The design was a descriptive survey with a population of 191 principals and 3,483 teachers in 191 public secondary schools, giving the numerical strength of the population as 3,674. Using a stratified random sampling technique, the sample size was 367 (10%) made up of 19 principals and 348 secondary school teachers. The instrument was a researchers’- structured 18-item questionnaire titled “Managing Retraining Programmes for Teacher Productivity Questionnaire (MRPTPQ). The response mode was in line with the four-point Likert scale. The instrument was validated by three experts in the area of measurement and evaluation. The internal consistency was established using Cronbach alpha method which yielded a reliability index of 0.76. The findings of this study showed that while retraining programmes have introduced teachers to new teaching methodologies and technologies, the frequency of these programmes is limited by the availability of funds. The paper concluded that for teachers to be adequately informed and productive, workshops and seminars should be given priority in public secondary schools in Bayelsa State. The recommendations include: retraining programmes should be available in Bayelsa State secondary schools in order to continually improve teacher productivity, vice principal academics and others assigned with the duty of organizing workshops for teachers should ensure that teachers are periodically engaged in various workshop sessions in order for teachers’ productivity to be constantly improved.

Pre-primary school learning experiences lays a strong foundation for pupils’ later academic progression and achievement. The experiences equip learners with the requisite competencies and abilities for formal and life-long learning including basic literacy and numeracy skills. Premised on this commonality, the purpose of this study was to establish pupils’ academic achievement in literacy and numeracy on entry to standard one and whether pre-primary school learning experiences and teachers’ level self-efficacy predicted pupil’s literacy and numeracy achievement. The study also investigated pre-primary school learning experiences and teachers’ self-efficacy’s predictive value of standard one pupils’ literacy and numeracy achievement. Free primary school in Kenya is mandatory for six year olds irrespective of their backgrounds. Pre-primary school education is therefore not a requirement for joining primary one (Standard one) class. In a typical standard one class in Kenya, one would expect pupils with unequal pre-primary school learning experiences. Teacher’s self-efficacy equally could influence pupils’ academic achievement. Two theories guided this study; Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory (1982) and the Ecological Systems theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979). Ex post facto research design was used to guide the study. Variables of the study included pre-primary school experiences, gender, teachers’ self-efficacy and type of school. The study was conducted in Gucha District of Kisii County, Kenya. The target population was both public and private primary schools in the District. All standard one pupils and their teachers of the sample schools participated. Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were employed. Eight (8) primary schools formed the sample of the study. A total of six public and two private schools formed the study sample. This was comprised of 16% of the population. The total sample was 154 pupils and eight (8) teachers. Descriptive and inferential techniques were employed to analyze data. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme was used to analyze data. Means and percentages were calculated and inferential statistics involved Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). ANOVA was used to test, H01, H02, H03 and H04 while H05 was analyzed using multiple regression. A P ≤ 0.05 level of significance was accepted. The findings of the study revealed that pre-primary school learning experiences together with teachers’ level of self-efficacy significantly predicted pupils’ literacy and numeracy achievement. One of the recommendations based on the study findings was that policy makers at both central and county governments should invest substantial resources in pre-primary school programmes in order to improve academic outcomes in primary school level to avoid investing too much too late.